


This Thing Called Love

by Zaikia



Category: Good Omens (TV), Good Omens - Neil Gaiman & Terry Pratchett
Genre: Anal Fingering, Anal Sex, Angst and Fluff and Smut, Anxious Aziraphale (Good Omens), Double Penetration, Drunken Confessions, Drunken Kissing, Established Relationship, Experienced Aziraphale (Good Omens), Experienced Crowley (Good Omens), Explicit Sexual Content, F/M, Friends to Lovers, M/M, Oral Sex, Polyamorous Character, Polyamory, Protective Aziraphale (Good Omens), Protective Crowley, Slow Dancing, Strangers to Lovers, Threesome - F/M/M, Top Aziraphale (Good Omens), Top Crowley (Good Omens), Vaginal Fingering, Vaginal Sex, Worried Aziraphale (Good Omens)
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-08-07
Updated: 2019-08-07
Packaged: 2020-08-11 03:08:05
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,552
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20146594
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Zaikia/pseuds/Zaikia
Summary: Shelby's on vacation for a long time. She meets an angel, and then a demon and falls in love.





	This Thing Called Love

_'I open the shop on most weekdays about 9:30 or 10am. While occasionally I open the shop as early as 8, I have been known not to open until 1, except on Tuesday. I tend to close about 3:30pm, or earlier if something needs tending to. However, I might occasionally keep the shop open until 8 or 9 at night, you never know when you need some light reading. On days that I am not in, the shop will remain closed. On weekends, I will open the shop during normal hours unless I am elsewhere. Bank holidays will be treated in the usual fashion, with early closing on Wednesdays, or sometimes Fridays. (For Sundays see Tuesdays)._

_A.Z. Fell, Bookseller'_

_Such odd hours._ The young woman thought as she read the note thoroughly. 

Shelby checked her watch. It was only about 12:30, and the sign said OPEN. It was July, and sort of cool out, low 70's. It didn't matter though. She was always cold, being a Reaper. She was clad in a pair of black skinny jeans, with a tunic red and black tank top and her black leather jacket (which was a few years old, but still in great condition) and her shin-high leather boots. Her hair was parted off to the right, and only had a few small strands of hair caressing her forehead. She was carrying a small shoulder purse over her left shoulder. 

“Hmm...might as well.” she said softly, and opened the door. 

The ring of a bell came from over her head as she walked inside, glancing around the area. It was neat, and organized and the books looked worn, but still in excellent condition. 

“I'll be with you shortly!” a male voice came from an area in the back, where she assumed some sort of resting place was. 

Shelby decided to browse the nearest shelf while the bookseller took his time to greet her into his shop. After about three minutes, she was alerted to the sound of footsteps and she glanced over as a man came into her view. 

He wasn't much taller than her, perhaps just by a few inches or so and had light blond, almost white, hair and blue eyes that seemed to gleam happily upon seeing her. He appeared to be in his late 40's, perhaps early 50's and wore a light blue button-up shirt with a brown vest over it, and brown trousers, as well as brown shoes. His shoulders were broad, and she could tell he wasn't skinny, but more so of a soft, stocky build. 

His appearance was one thing she immediately noticed, but there was another thing. His aura was nothing but pure _light_. And she knew immediately what he was. 

An Angel. 

Being a Reaper, she encountered different entities and beings throughout her day and during her missions. She had met plenty of Demons, plenty of Wraiths, but she had never gotten the chance to meet an Angel. She knew the Angels stayed up in Heaven, doing their jobs. But she had never met one while she was living on Earth. 

“Hello, miss. Can I help you?” the man asked, snapping her out of her thoughts. 

“Oh, sorry. I saw that you were open. I'm on vacation and just wandering around, and I found your bookshop.” Shelby replied, adjusting the strap over her shoulder. 

“Oh! Well, welcome.” he said politely. “You're welcome to browse the shelves. However, my first editions and my books of prophecy are not for sale." 

"No problem." Shelby gave a nod and went silent for a moment before she spoke up again. "You seem......familiar to me. Perhaps we've seen each other while on the streets?" 

The man seemed confused for a long moment and spoke once he seemed to get passed his confusion. "Perhaps! Have you been here to London before?" 

"Only for missions and special occasions," she replied, adjusting the strap of her purse again. She thought deeply again for a brief moment and then it clicked. This man, this Angel, was the one who stopped Armageddon! Her father (Death himself) had told her of what had happened at the almost-end-of-the-world and while he hadn't been exactly enthusiastic about not ending the world, he knew there would another time for the end of the world, though, it wouldn't be the antichrist melting it into a puddle of goo. "You're the Angel who stopped Armageddon. You had a Demon with you, and you both stopped the world from ending.” 

The man's smile faded away rather quickly and he appeared nervous. He shuffled his weight from one side to the other and took a rather long moment to speak. 

"That was I. And the Demon.....we both were able to stop the-almost-end-of-the-world, together," he replied, his blue-eyed gaze glancing up to the young woman before him. 

"I see," Shelby said softly. 

_Fuck. I'm being so rude. I shouldn't have said anything._ She thought, and approached the man, holding out a hand to him. "I apologize for any discomfort I caused you. I sensed who you were the moment I came in here." 

"Oh, that's quite alright. I know you didn't mean any harm, miss," he said, that smile slowly coming back onto his features. He approached her with what little feet were between them and took her hand in his, shaking it. "Aziraphale." 

"Shelby Hartford." she gave a kind smile. "I apologize for the difference in temperature. Reapers are Undead, so, we don't exactly have body warmth." 

"Oh, no, you are fine!" he said, reaching up with his other hand to place it on top of hers as if he wanted to warm up her permanently cold skin. "I don't meet Reapers quite often, but I respect your work and stay away from when you are guiding souls." 

Shelby was a bit surprised when he had taken her hand in both of his own. His hold was warm, and felt rather safe, compared to the coldness of her flesh. But it made a gentle smile form on her pale features and she spoke after a moment of listening to him. 

"We try to keep our work to ourselves. Most of the time." Shelby said with a slight nod. 

"Well, I appreciate what you do. I'm sure it's rather difficult to have to handle that kind of work." Aziraphale spoke, releasing her hand after another brief moment. 

"You get used to it, to be honest. I became a Reaper back in 2015 and it took me over a year just to enjoy my job." She spoke, her thumbs stuffing themselves into the pockets of her skinny jeans, the rest of her fingers hanging out. "For some, it takes only months. For others, it might take them years. I know a guy who was in disbelief for about five years before he began to take his job seriously." 

"Oh, my," Aziraphale said in a surprised tone. 

"Yeah." Shelby nodded in agreement. 

"This may not be my business, but....let's say I'm rather curious," Aziraphale said, and Shelby arched an eyebrow as if she wanted him to continue. "How does one become a Reaper?" 

"Normally we die," she explained. "We die, and Death can speak to us beforehand or he brings us back, especially if we have no one and if we died a painful death. For me, I was murdered and Death brought me back because he saw how I died." 

"Oh.....I'm very sorry that happened to you, Shelby." the angel spoke softly. 

"You're fine. I've come to terms with it," she said. "What about you? Have you ever....died, per se?" 

"Not died exactly, but I have discorporated once," Aziraphale said, not seeming rather pleased about the event. 

"Doesn't sound fun." she said. 

"Oh, it wasn't." 

Shelby gives a soft chuckle and paused for a moment before she spoke again. "Would you....like to get a coffee tomorrow? Or tea? Whichever you prefer." 

"Oh!" Aziraphale exclaimed, surprised by the young Reaper's sudden request. 

_Yeah, no. That was a horrible idea._ Shelby thought and quickly attempted to correct herself. "I'm sorry, that was so rude, I'm sorry-" 

"No, no!" he said quickly, blue eyes twinkling with embarrassment. "You weren't rude, dear. I just haven't been asked for a coffee date in forever. It's been quite a while." 

"I mean, if you don't want to, that's cool. It was rude of me to ask," she said, shoving her hands into the pockets of her jackets. 

"Honestly, you're quite alright, Shelby." Aziraphale shook his head, and he let a smile grace his (beautiful) features. "I'd love to go get a coffee with you." 

_Did I seriously just ask an angel out on a date?_ She thought, surprised that he would even take her up on her offer. _Yes, I did._

"Awesome. I mean, wonderful." Shelby said, a smile on her pale features. She brought out a small notepad and a black pen, opening it up to scribble something onto it. "Here. Here are my name and number. There's a cafe just a couple of blocks down the street." 

"I know the place." he smiled and took the torn-off paper when she handed it to him. "Say....three PM? I'll close up shop early." 

"Sounds great," she said, her voice tight.


End file.
